Mr Aroon said the organisation decided to save the buffalo's life after seeing its picture on Facebook with its beautiful downswept horns 2.4 metres long.

The money was contributed to a pool by the cooperative's members, who were moved by the animal's beauty, Mr Aroon said.

Ruam Boon will be taken to the Assawin Production House in Nong Khaem district in Bangkok to be trained for movies, he said, adding that its performance fee would be used to buy food.

Abattoir owner Somjit said he bought the buffalo at a cattle market in Buri Ram for 50,000 baht three months ago. It was being fed and fattened up and when it was fully healthy would have been consigned for slaughter. He expected to get 70,000 baht or more from its meat, sent to fresh markets.

He said a foreigner had also contacted him, offering to buy the horns for 50,000 baht after it was killed.

The picture of the animal was posted on Facebook because its horns were similar to the logo used by Carabao, a famous songs-for-life rock band. Carabao means buffalo in the Philippine language.

The buffalo's original name is unknown, or if it even had one. The cooperative has named him "Ruam Boon", meaning joining hands to make merit, because actors and others in the movie industry contributed their money to buy the animal before it went to slaughter.